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A Career in Pediatric Dentistry: What to Know

For those who value helping others, cooperation, and science, then dentistry might be a potential career choice for you. In dentistry, one could take many different career paths, such as orthodontics, oral surgery, and pediatric dentistry - just to name a few. Dentists get to interact with patients and colleagues, making the profession particularly rewarding. Not to mention, dentistry is a very stable profession: people will always need clean and healthy teeth. For this week's blog, we will not look at all the different types of dentistry but focus on pediatric dentistry's salary, benefits, requirements, and work-life balance.

Pediatric Dentist’s Salary

Pediatric dentistry is a lucrative profession. Though salaries can be quite variable, a pediatric dentist's salary can begin anywhere between $150,000 and $180,000, with the average pediatric dentist salary in New York State being around $244,000. As a pediatric dentist advances in their own career, the dentist can expect to make approximately $306,293 a year. In not so many words, pediatric dentists can expect to live comfortably on their annual salary. Pediatric Dentistry’s Requirements

Although there is no undergraduate degree in Dentistry, most Dentistry programs require that one has an undergraduate degree. However, universities may offer pre-dental school programs and advice, helping prepare students for their candidacy for a Dental program. Prerequisite courses for a Dental program may include Chemistry, Biology, Organic Chemistry, and potentially other courses in STEM disciplines, such as math or physics.

In order to get into a Dental program, a candidate must pass the Dental Admission Test (DAT). Upon admission, students must complete the four years of Dental School in order to receive their credentials to begin practicing dentistry. Like the other schools of medicine, Dental programs are grueling; it is a full-time job. The exact schedule may vary depending on the school, but students can expect their weekdays to be booked-up with classes, homework, and experience in the field.

Am I a Good Fit for Pediatric Dentistry?

Despite the pay and the pleasure of pediatric dentistry, the field is not for everyone. There are certain things that someone considering this field should think about. Perhaps the first thing to consider is, are you interested in teeth and dental health? If you are repulsed by teeth, the dentist's office, or digging around in someone's mouth, then dentistry may not be for you. In addition, a pediatric dentist should enjoy working with and helping children. Working with children is not for everyone, so it is something you should really consider. If you are not sure how well you would work with kids, put yourself out there and see what it's like: perhaps work as a camp counselor or try babysitting for a bit. This way, you can have an idea if you and children respond well to each other.

If you have any other questions about the profession of pediatric dentistry, consider calling up Great Neck Dental Care and scheduling an appointment with Dr. Julie Liberman.